Relief for Bolivian Mudslide Victims

Relief for Bolivian Mudslide Victims

In late February 2011, hundreds of homes in the South American, country of Bolivia were destroyed after strong continuous rains caused massive mudslides and landslides in the city of La Paz. An estimated 6,000 people lost their homes and most of their possessions due to the destruction caused by the mudslides, which occurred in multiple places across the city.

Many of the survivors of the mudslides were made homeless and were forced to begin their lives again from scratch. That is not easy, especially because the mudslides affected primarily low-income neighborhoods where the poor lived in fragile houses built on steep hillsides.

Zakat Foundation of America (ZF) pledged early to provide relief to the victims of the mudslides who were living in tent camps. ZF’s representatives went to the camps to distribute much needed food, clean drinking water and clothing to the needy residents of the camp. Among the residents, many included older people, pregnant women, and children. In addition, ZF provided mattresses for the most vulnerable in the camp.

Bolivia is one of the poorest and least developed countries in South America with 30 percent of its population living on less than two dollars a day. The poor tend to suffer the most from the weather related disasters like the mudslides that occur in the country. Often they have few resources or assistance to help them rebuild.

ZF helps the poor by providing relief and development assistance to the most vulnerable communities worldwide. While it works primarily in Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, it is committed to expanding its services to those in need in North and South America.